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When our startup Agent Anything, a job marketplace for
students, was selected as one of 10 companies to be a part of
ANZ Innovyz Start, an accelerator in
Adelaide, Australia, we were excited. Not only is ANZ Innovyz
Start a member of the Global Accelerator Network which
includes other top accelerators like TechStars and Excelerate
Labs, but it also provided an opportunity for us to scale our
company internationally -- something we wanted to do from the
get-go.

But why Adelaide, South Australia? The city was in our original
expansion plans, as it included a high student population and had
good public transportation, which made it seem like a perfect
international test market.

Plus ANZ Innovyz Start has world-class mentors, like managing
director Dr. Jana Matthews, a growth expert and a senior member
of the founding team for the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial
Leadership. These leaders knew what it took to make global
companies, and I don't feel we would've received the same insight
in the U.S. so early on.

While it was a great learning experience, traveling thousands of
miles to join an accelerator way not easy.

In some ways, it was almost like launching a company from scratch
-- everything from considering time zone differences on our
website to currency and payment processors needed to be
revisited.

That said, I am glad I took advantage of this opportunity.
Thinking about being an accelerator globetrotter? Here is why I
recommend it:

Allows you to test scalability. If you want to
see how your business would do in a new location, you should get
your hands dirty by testing the target demographic.

We went to university campuses around Adelaide and signed up
hundreds of students in just days. This helped us see if our idea
was something we could bring to other countries and determine the
most efficient way to do it, so it becomes easier next time
around.

Get a global perspective early on for your
startup. There's so many issues and requirements other
countries may have on businesses, like taxes and registrations,
that a startup needs to know about. Plus cultural differences are
a whole other ball of wax.

It isn't as simple as thinking what worked in the U.S. will work
overseas. When you understand how you must adjust your business,
you can optimize it for global expansion.

Meet people with worldly experiences. Going to
Australia meant we worked with people who introduced us to new
ideas we hadn't ever considered before and fresh perspectives on
our business, like how to be competitive in new markets. By
learning about new viewpoints, your business may be adapt quicker
to new enviroments.

Opens your eyes. Going to an overseas
accelerator immerses yourself in different ways business can be
run and helps you with future proofing your business. For
example, it gives you the perspective of the things you will
encounter as you grow and think internationally.

What experiences have you had at international
accelerators? Let us know in the comments
below.